Radnabenmotor: An electric motor that is not located in the center of the vehicle, but directly on the wheel. It was already used in electric cars such as the Lohner-Porsche at the beginning of the 20th century, but has now disappeared from mass-produced cars, partly because of its high weight in an unfavorable place causes problems with driving comfort and the space for the steering mechanism is also tight. This is not yet compensated by the numerous advantages. These include the gain in installation space in the body, the possible omission of drive shafts and the gain in driving dynamics and safety through the possible wheel-selective control of the drive force.
Range Extender: Usually a small combustion engine that does not use its power to drive the wheels, but rather a power generator that recharges the batteries while driving. In this way, further progress should be possible even after the end of the electricity supply tapped at the socket. However, this is only a kind of emergency solution, since the engine is designed to be relatively economical, but in the end it works only inefficiently. For a long time, the BMW i3 relied on the technology – but since the battery capacities have increased, the Munich-based company has dispensed with the auxiliary motor. Mazda, on the other hand, wants to include an electric vehicle with a range extender based on a Wankel engine in the future for the first time.
Rekuperation: The recovery of kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost in the form of heat during braking is not a privilege of the electric car. Cars with start-stop systems have been using the technology for years. While the electricity generated in conventional cars is used to relieve the generator/alternator, in electric cars it benefits the drive directly. However, only a relatively small part of the braking energy flows back into the battery as charging energy.
unbalanced load: Means the uneven load on the power grid. This should be prevented in Germany by your unbalanced load regulation, which severely restricts the single-phase charging of electric cars. Instead of the technically possible around 7 kW, affected vehicles in this country can only legally get 4.6 kW from the grid. Three-phase charging e-cars, on the other hand, fill up with up to 22 kW, i.e. more than four times as fast. Different rules may apply in other countries.
Fast charging: The term is used differently by each manufacturer. In the relevant legal texts on e-mobility you will find the definition that all charging processes with outputs above 22 kW could be referred to as fast charging. Another possible distinction would be alternating current charging (AC, up to a maximum of 44 kW) versus direct current charging (DC, from 50 kW). In practice, the choice of definition makes little difference, since there are practically no AC charging points with more than 22 kW of power in this country. The number of suitable vehicles is also rather small. In addition to fast charging, the term ultra-fast charging (“High Performance Charging”, HPC) has recently become common. This usually refers to the DC charging stations of the operator consortium Ionity, which deliver up to 350 kW – currently the top value in Europe.
Connector Types: Almost any e-car can be charged at a normal household socket. Beyond that, it becomes difficult. The EU has decided on the so-called Meneckes type 2 plug as the standard for public charging stations, the plug is already supplied with the charging cable of most electric cars. However, other plug types are currently in use in other European countries. Even in this country, the DC plugs for fast charging stations are inconsistent. While the German manufacturers rely on the CCS system, the Japanese and French use the Chademo standard for their models. The types are not compatible. Only the CCS couplings are legally prescribed in Germany.
Electricity supplier: It supplies the charging stations with electricity. Only one supplier can be active for each pillar. The company is not necessarily also the operator of the charging station (CPO) or e-mobility provider (EMP).
Supercharger: Tesla’s free charging stations for its own brand vehicles. In Europe, the Tesla system initially used a modified Type 2 plug, which, unlike its counterpart used by other brands, also allows direct current charging with up to 250 kW. Columns and vehicles are now being converted to the CCS standard. The batteries of Model S, Model X and Co. can be recharged within a few minutes using superchargers – previously generally free of charge, now, depending on the model, billing is by minutes or kilowatt hours (33 cents). In total, Tesla operates more than 1,800 charging stations with a total of almost 16,000 charging points in Europe, mostly on important highways, in order to enable its customers to travel longer distances in electric cars. Vehicles from other brands cannot use superchargers, but Tesla models can refuel at type 2 and, if necessary, at CCS charging stations.
The supercapacitor: Unlike rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors store energy electrically rather than electrochemically. As a result, they can be charged faster and also release their energy quickly. While supercapacitors have been commonplace in flash units for cameras for years, they are still relatively new in automotive engineering. Mazda uses the power storage for brake force regeneration, for example, in Formula One they are already part of the hybrid system and provide power for acceleration. Volvo is currently experimenting with manufacturing entire vehicle parts from supercapacitors, which can then be used in cars with virtually no installation space. However, while supercapacitors can charge quickly, they cannot charge very much current. Their energy density is extremely low. They are therefore hardly an option as the sole energy source for vehicle propulsion; Rather, they will probably serve as a supplement to normal batteries in the future – especially for braking energy regeneration.
Temperaturmanagement: Batteries get hot under sustained load. This not only affects the power output of the energy storage devices, but also their ability to store electricity. After a long drive or at high temperatures, it can sometimes happen that the full power can no longer be accessed at charging stations. This phenomenon has become known under the name “Rapidgate”. Some, but by no means all e-mobiles therefore have a cooling system that keeps the battery at the optimum temperature. Other manufacturers are trying to get the problem under control with intelligent charging software. If you drive a lot or need fast charging, you should still choose a model with active cooling.